In August 2011, Apple underwent a major corporate change as CEO Steve Jobs stepped down from his post and handed control to COO Tim Cook—not as a temporary measure this time, but for good. Jobs adopted a new position as Chairman of the Board; less than two months later, he died.
Jobs’ passing, one year ago today, wasn’t a shock—he had battled cancer and cancer-related ailments for nearly a decade at that point—but it still sent ripples through the tech world. For Apple’s own employees, it was a strange shift. A post-Steve Apple had been born whether anyone liked it or not, and it was up to everyone in the company to soldier on. But in which direction?